Packaging machine



Dec. 22, 1959 Filed May 3, 1957 M. P. ROCK PACKAGING MACHINE 6 1 7 F. i W

7 SheetsSheet 1 INVENTOR. MURRAY R ROCK ZJM/PW ATTORNEY PACKAGING MACHINE Filed May 3, 1957 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

MURRAY P. ROCK 'QZM PM ATTORNEY De. 22, 1959 M. P. ROCK PACKAGING MACHINE- Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 3, 1957 IN VEN TOR. MURRAY F. ROCK Dec. 22, 1959 ROCK 7 2,917,883

PACKAGING MACHINE Filed May 3, 1.957 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 &

IIIIIIIIIIII INVENTOR.

1?; MURRAY F2 ROCK ATTORNEY Dec. 22, 1959 p, ROCK 2,917,883

PACKAGING MACHINE Filed May 3, 1957 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VEN TOR.

MURRAY P. ROCK ATTORNEY Dec. 22, 1959 M. P. ROCK ,9

PACKAGING MACHINE 7 Filed May 3, 1957 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 65 as 34 F v6 e9 7o ea CONVERTER Ii 72 7| 73 {fr-79 PHOTOELECTRIC ULTRA VIOLET LAMPS l8 74 --6 f M a 1 I 87 i as l a! W INVENTOR.

MURRAY P ROCK ATTORNEY Dec. 22; 1959 I M. P. ROCK PACKAGING momma Filed May 3, 1957 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTOR. MURRAY P ROCK ATTORNEY 2,917,883 PACKAGING MACHINE Murray P. Rock, Anaheim, Calif. Application May 3, 1957, Serial No. 656,846

is Claims. 01. 53-178) This invention relates to packaging machines and particul'arlyto an improved machine for filling and sealing individual packages with fluid or semi-fluid substances.

'In the past, packaging machines have usually utilized an'intermittent filling,'sealing, and cuttingoperation. Thus, past packaging'machines operated by steps: feeding the packaging material a predetermined distance; stopping the feed; sealing the sides and bottom of the packaging material to forma pocket therein; filling the pocket thus formed with a measured amount of the fill; conveying the filled pocket and packaging material a predetermined distance; stopping the packaging material; sealing the top of the pocket and cutting the individual packages from the strip. This starting and stopping or intermittent feeding of the packaging material and the packages thus formed, wastes a considerable amount 'of time-and motion, and results'in a greatly reduced output for a given machine per unit of operating time. Past machines have further encountered difliculty in supplying a predetermined amount of fluid fill to the pocket without stopping the machine to allow time for the fluid to flow from the measuring apparatus to the pocket. Past machines have further had considerable difiiculty in cutsaid metering device is actuated; pressure generating means connected to continuously supply to an output orifice said fluid fill at a substantially constant fluid pressure; and sealed fluid conveying means connected to convey said fluid fill from the output of said pressure generating means through said metering means to a point immediately above said pocket whereby each time said metering means is actuated a predetermined amount of fluid fill is injected into'the adjacent pocket under pres sure by said conveying means.v v

Itis a further object of this invention to provide in a continuous operating packaging machine an improved fluid metering device which continuously provides fluid under pressure at a point adjacent to the packages to be filled.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent from, the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation view, partly in section, of a preferred embodiment of the packaging machine contemplated by this invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectioned view taken along the line 2-2 of the packaging machine of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a view of a typical chain and gear drive for the packaging machine of Fig. 1; h i

Fig. 4 is a sectioned view. of'the longitudinal seal mechanism utilized in the packaging machine of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a sectioned view of the seal mechanism of Fig. 4 taken along the line 5-5; V i

Fig. 6 is a sectioned view of the transverse seal m'ech-. anism utilized in the packaging machine of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the transverse seal mechanism of Fig. 6; j

Fig. 8 is a section view of the seal mechanism of Fig. 6 taken along the line 8-8;

Fig. 9 is a view of the longitudinal pinking cutter roller'utilized in the packaging machine of Fig. 1;

ting the packaging material, particularly transversely or across the direction of movement of the packaging material, While the material is in motion. Therefore, they usually stop the movement of the packages while this cutting operation is performed.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved apparatus for individually packaging fluid an semi-fluid substances. a

It is anotherobject of this invention to provide an improved packaging machine which utilizes a continuous, substantially constant speed movement of the packaging material and which automatically fills, seals and cuts individual packages filled with fluid or semi-fluid substances. I p

- It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved packaging machine which'comp'r'ises means for continuously feeding at a substantially constant speed two sheets of packaging material; means for sealing said two sheets of packaging material together transverselyand longitudinally along the sides thereof to form at least one pocket across the width of said sheets; means for injecting under a substantially constant high pressure a measured amount of fluid into said pocket; means for sealing the top of said pocket transverse of the movement of said packaging material; and means for cutting said sheets of packaging material along said top seal to fluid to flow at a predetermined pressure each time Fig. 10 is an edge view, partly'in section, of the pinking roller of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a view of adjustable, spring-loaded rollers utilized with the feed rollers and pinking rollers ofthepackaging machine of Fig. 1;

Fig. 12 is a view of transverse pinking cutters utilizedin the packaging machine of Fig. 1; Fig. 13 is a section view of the .transverse cutters of' Fig. 12 taken along the line 13-13; i v Fig. 14 is'a schematic drawing of the electrical circuit utilized in the packaging machine of Fig. 1; I

Fig. 15 is a side view, partly in section, of an alternatev fluid feedmechanism for use with the packaging machine of Fig. 1;

Fig. 16 is a section view of the feed mechanism of Fig. 15 taken along the line 16-16; and

Fig. 17 is a view'of an individual package formed by the packaging machine of Fig. 1. 1

Referring now to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, a preferred embodiment of the packaging machinecontemplated by this invention is shown. It is the purpose of this machine to continuously produce individual sealed packages, similar" to that shown in Fig. 17, of a fluid or semi-fluid substance such as jams, jellies, catsup, mustard, milk, cream, 'soy sauce, Water, etc. The raw materials used by the ma chine are rolls of thin sheets of cellophane and 'polyethylene which make up the front and back' respectively of the individual packages and the filling material in bulk, The machine discharges individual servings of the filling material cut to size., Each serving is substantially iden-" tical to each otherserving. The machine utilizes a cointinuous, substantially constant feed of the packagin'g'rna terials without any intermittent stopping and starting. Each operation of sealing, filling and cutting is performed" 3 while the packaging materials are moving through the machine.

In Fig. 1 roll 1 of cellophane is mounted on the side panels of the machine in a manner to permit free rolling. nan 2 of polyethylene is also mounted on the side panels of the machine in a manner to permit free rolling. Although Cellophane and polyethylene are utilized by way of example in this description, other materials which are capable of being thermally sealed to each other may be substituted therefor. The sheet of cellophane on roll 1 is preferably already printed with advertising or other markings indicating the type and source of the material to be filled in the packages. The sheet on roll 1 is fed over idler pulleys 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 to longitudinal 'sealin grollers 10. The sheet-of polyethylene on roll 2 is fed over idler pulleys 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 to longi- 'iudinal sealing rollers 10. As sheet 16 and sheet 17 pass between idler rollers 4 and 5 and idler rollers 12 and 13, respectively, they are subjected to ultraviolet rays from ultraviolet lamps 18. The sheets are thereby sterilized immediately prior to beingfilled with the fill material in a manner to be described later. As sheet 16 .passes between idler rollers 5 and 6 a small area preferably made to pass between photoelectric source 19 and photoelectric detector 20. Appropriately positioned printing on sheet 16 actuates this photoelectric detector which actuation is preferably utilized to time a certain subsequent sequence of operations to be described later.

Referring now to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 the apparatus used to fill, seal and cut the individual packages in the preferred embodiment of the packaging machine contemplated by this invention is shown. Sheets 16 and 17 of cellophane and polyethylene, respectively, are conveyed from idler rollers 9 and 15 to longitudinal sealing rollers 10. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 2, five packages are made simultaneously by utilizing six separate sealing rollers 10. This sealing is accomplished by pressing cellophane sheet 16 against polyethylene sheet 17 and subjecting the two sheets at the points 'of contact to a predetermined amount of heat through rollers 10. The heat utilized by these renters 10 is furnished by a thermostatically controlled system of heater coils positioned in core 21 of the longitudinal heating and sealing apparatus. More detailed drawings of the longitudinal heating and sealing apparatus are shown in Figs. 4 and 5. In these figures core 21 has four equi-spaced resistant heating elements 22 positioned internally. Elements 22 may be conventional resistance-type electric heaters. In the center of core 21 is positioned thermostat contact ele ment 23 having a contact which is normally closed but which presents an open circuit whenever the temperature of core 21 exceeds a preselected magnitude. Core 21 and sealing rollers 10 are rotated about their axis at a constant speed through gear 24 in a manner to be described later. Slip rings 25 and brushes 25a are utilized to make electrical contact to thermostat contact element 23 and resistant heating elements 2 from external circuitry to ge dcscribed later with respect to the line diagram of After sheets 16 and 17 are sealed together longitudinally to form five tubular columns, the sheets are conveyed to longitudinal pinking roller assembly 26. Here the sheets are pressed against pinking rollers 27 at points approximately in the center of each longitudinally sealed area. Detailed viewsof pinking rollers 27 are shown in Figs. 9 and 10-. When the sheets are pressed against rollers 27 by spring loaded pressure devices 28, to be described later, the rollers cut through the sheets in a z gzag or pinking pattern thereby forming five separate tubular columns. This pinking pattern is formed by cutting edges 27a of rollers 27. Longitudinal pinking roller assembly 26 is driven via gear 26a in synchronism wi th sealing rollers 10 by chain and gear train 29 of Fig. 3. Idler gears 29a merely provide direction for; the

4 movement of chain 77 of train 29. Chain 77 is driven by reduction gears in a manner to be described later.

The five separate columns of tubing are then conveyed through drive roller assembly 30 which merely provides additional drive to maintain the continuous constant speed movement of sheets 16 and 17 through the machine. Assembly 30 is driven in synchronism with rollers 10 and 27 by utilizing gear 3% driven by chain 77. Assembly 30 provides a further function of maintaining the alignment of the columns as they pass through the machine.

The tubings next are passed through transverse sealing apparatus 31 which effectively thermally seals a broad band in each tube in a direction transverse of the direction of movement of the tubing. This sealing comprises the top seal of the individual packages which have already been filled by means to be described later and the bottom of the next package which is to be subsequently filled. Transverse sealing apparatus 31 is shown in more detail in Figs. 6, 7 and 8. Apparatus 31 consists of core 32 in which is centrally located thermostat contact element 33 and heater elements 34. A second core 35 positioned to rotate with and press against core 32 is positioned on the other side of the sheets of packaging material. Cores 32 and 35 of transverse sealing apparatus 31 do not continuously rotate as do elements 21, 26 and 30 but are intermittently actuated, in a manner to be described later, to rotate either at predetermined intervals in synchronism with the rotation of elements 21, 26 and 30 or in response to the actuation of photoelectric detector 20 of Fig. l. Plates 36 and 37 on each of cores 32 and 35 are preferably provided with matching grooves 38 running diagonal to the direction of movement of the sheets to thereby provide diagonal slot 39 at the top of each individual package as shown in Fig. 17.

After the tops of the individual packages have been sealed by transverse sealing apparatus 31, the tubings are conveyed to transverse cutter 40. Cutter 40, shown in detail in Figs. 12 and 13, preferably consists of stationary pinking edges 41 and 42 and swinging pinking knife edges 43 and 44. Edges 43 and 44 are supported by swinging support 45 which is pivotally supported by arms 45a and 45b. Support 45 is restricted in its swing to an are approximately 22 /2 on each side of the center line of the pinking cutter. It is constructed ina manner to be swung from one side to the other a predetermined amount of time after transverse sealing apparatus 31 is actuated. This time is afunction of the speed of movement of the sheets through the packaging machine and is timed to cause knife edge 43 or 44 to slice through the sheets by making sliding contact with knife edges 41 or 42, respectively, at the instant the transverse sealed portion of each strip of tubing is adjacent to knife edge 41 and 42. Thus transverse cutter 48 cuts each strip of tubing in approximately the center of the transverse sealed strip. Because of the pliant characteristic of the cellophane and polyethylene sheets, it has been found that ordinary cutters utilizing a pinking pattern cannot reliably be used. Therefore, it has been found that by sloping edges 43 and 44 in the manner shown in Fig, 13, the points of the pinking edge are caused to enter the sheets first followed by a progressive cutting along the 'sides of,

each tooth of the pinking edge. Very reliable transverse cutting action has been accomplished by-utilizing this novel shaping of the cutters.

After the individual packages have been cut transversely, they are allowed to gravity drop into-a container or conveyor belt (not shown) and are ready for packaging and shipping.

The preferred embodiment 'of the packaging machine contemplated by this invention utilizes a unique filling apparatus shown in detail in'Figs. 1 and 2. In this filling apparatus, the fill of fluid or semi-fluid substance is sup plied from a hopper (not shown) to pump 46 which may be aconv'entio'nal pump or which may be similar to pump 102 to be described later with respect to Fig. 16

Pump 46 is driven by motor 47 through clutch 48. Motor 47 is driven at a constant speed from a source of power (not shown). Clutch 48' is preferably solenoid actuated in response to a signal which is either ultimately responsive to photoelectric detector 20 or to a timing cam in a manner to be described later with respect to Fig. 14. When clutch 48 is energized pump 46 supplies fill under high pressure to conduit 49. Leading oif from the top of conduit 49 are five small conduits 50 which comprise the individual inputs to check valves 51. There is one check valve for each of the columns of tubing to be filled. The pressure of the fill, when clutch 48 is energized, lifts check valve ball 52 allowing the fill to flow through output conduits 53 and into fill tubes 54. The fill continues to flow as long as pump 46 is driven through clutch 48. The release of clutch 48 stops the pumping action and thereby reduces the pressure in conduits 49 and 50. Check valve ball 52 is thereupon allowed to drop back into the closed position, holding the fill in conduits 53 and 54. Thus conduits 49, 50, 53 and 54 are always filled with the fill and ready to instantaneously supply fill to the pockets of the columns of sheeting. In this manner, unique in the packaging field, the individual packages are rapidly filled with the fill substance while the packages continuously flow through the machine. It is to be noted that the fill begins to flow out of the ends of conduits 54 and into the adjacent pockets the instant clutch 48 is energized, rather than having to flow or fall an appreciable distance after actuation of some metering device. Thus the output ends of fill conduits 54 are preferably positioned just below longitudinal cutting apparatus 26. The timing of the actuation of clutch 48 and therefore the time of beginning of flowof the fill into the pockets is made to occur just after transverse seal apparatus 31 has sealed the top of the last filled package and the bottom of the next package to be filled. 1

Referring now to Fig. 14 a schematic drawing of the preferred embodiment of the packaging machine contemplated by this invention is shown. Source 60 of electric power is connected through switch 61 and contact 62 of thermostat relay 63 to longitudinal resistant heater elements 22 of longitudinal sealing apparatus 21. When switch 61 is closed, elements 22 maintain the temperature of longitudinal sealing rollers at a predetermined substantially constant temperature. The coil of thermostat relay 63 is energized through contact thermostat element 23 whenever the temperature of the apparatus 21 falls below a preset value. Similarly the transverse resistant heater elements are energized from source 60 through switch 65 and contact 66 of thermostat relay 67 whenever contact 68 of thermostat element 33 of transverse sealing apparatus 31 is closed by a drop in the temperature of apparatus 31 below a preset value. Converter 69 is energized from source 60 when switch 70 is closed and operates to convert the AC. voltage from source 60 to a DC. potential for operation of solenoid 71 of clutch 48. Solenoid 71 is however only energized when cam-actuated contact 72 is closed. The timing of the filling of the pockets is therefore a function of the closing of contact 72.

After the sealing heaters have been allowed to warm up, main switch 73 is closed, energizing main drive motor 74 through switch 75. Referring now to Figs. 2 and 3 main drive motor 74 continuously drives gear trains 76 and 77. Gear trains 76 and 77 continuously rotate longitudinal sealing apparatus 21, longitudinal cutter apparatus 26 and roller feed assembly 30 at a substantially constant speed. The sheets of packaging material are therefore continuously fed through the machine at a substantially constant rate of speed. Also driven by gear and 80 rotate, thereby opening and closing the contacts 6 in microswitches 81 and 82, respectively, in accordance with conventional cam operation.

In the preferred embodiment and operation of the machine, solenoid 83 of clutch 78 is energized by the actuation of photoelectric detector 84 which utilizes photoelectric detector 20 and source 19 of Fig. 1. Thus whenever the printing along sheet 16 causes actuation of detector 20, contact 85 is closed by a relay in detector 84, and solenoid 83 is energized through switch 86. The construction and operation of such detectors is wellknown to those skilled in the art and need not be. further described here. The energization of solenoid 83 actuates clutch 78 and causes transverse sealing apparatus 31 to rotate 180, thus sealing the top of the filled package and the bottom of the package to be filled. Immediately after the bottom has been scaled, cam 79 actuates contact 72 of microswitch 81 thereby energizing solenoid 71. The fill is now conveyed to the pockets of the columns of packaging material under high pressure. Because filling tubes 54 are already filled with the fill material there is no time lag between the actuation of solenoid 71 and the filling of the pockets. After a preselected amount.

of fill has been conveyed, the amount of which is determined by the shape of cam 79, contact 72 opens thereby.

deenergizing solenoid 71.

While this filling action is going on, the sheets of packaging material are continuously being conveyed through the machine. At a given instant of time, the

transverse seal of the packaging is adjacent to transverse.

cutter 40. At that instant cam 80 closes contact 87 of microswitch 82, thereby energizing solenoid 88 from source 60 through switch 73 and switch 89. The energizing of solenoid 88 causes support 45 of cutter 40 to swing to the opposite side of the center line. The individual packages are thereupon cut transversely and fall into thecontainer (not shown). The next time a transverse sealed portion of the packages is adjacent to cutter.

apparatus 40, cam 80 closes contact 90 of a second microswitch (not shown), thereby energizing solenoid 91. The energizing of solenoid 91 causes support 45 of cutter 40 toreturn to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The

positioning of solenoids 88 and 91 and their coupling by means of cross bar 92 and arm 93 to cutter assembly 40 are shown in Fig. 3.

An alternate filling apparatus used with the packaging gmachine of Figs. 1 and 2 is shown in Figs. 15 and 16...

In this embodiment the fill material is supplied from hopper and gravity fed to input conduit 101 of pump 102. Blades 103 of pump 102 are made of flexible material such as hard rubber and can therefore bend a slight amount. Cavity 104 of pump 102 preferably has a raised portion 105 positioned to cause a slight bending of blades 103. Alternatively it has been found that a mere loose fitting of blades 103 in cavity 104 thereby allowing a slight amount of clearance between the ends of the blades and the wall of the cavity operates to maintain the output pressure of the pump 102 substantially constant despite variations in the level of the fluid fill in hopper 100. Pump 102 is driven at a constant speed by a motor which may be similar to motor 47 of Fig. 2 but without utilizing clutch 48. Therefore, despite differences in fill level in hopper 100, pump 102 delivers.

fill material at a substantially constant pressure to output conduit 106.

Output conduit 106 is connected to metering apparatus 107, where further flow of the fill material is stopped until valve 108 is opened by movement to the left in Fig. 15. The opening of valve 108 connects conduit 106 to fill conduits 54 via orifices 109 and 110. Valve 108 is actuated by solenoid 111 which may be connected to be energized in a manner similar to the energization of solenoid 71 of Fig. 14. That is, solenoid 111 is preferably energized immediately after the sealing of the bottom of the pocket of the packaging material. O-rings 1121 are provided about output conduits 113 to prevent leakage of the fill material around valve 108. The amount of fill material conveyed through fill tubes 54 during each actuation of valve 107 is not only a function of the time valve 108 is open but is also a function of the setting of variable restrictive orifice 110. The size of orifices 110 is controlled manually by the turning of knob 114. Thus a fine setting of the amount of fill can be made without changing the shape of cam 79. It is to be noted that due to the closing of valve 108 to thereby stop the flow t fluid fill, conduit 54 is continuously filled completely with the fill material, even when no flow of the fill mate rial is taking place. Thus, there is an instantaneous flow of the fill mate-rial out the ends of conduits -54 whenever valve 108 is opened.

Continuous pressure is exerted to press sheets 16 and 17 together and against rollers 10, longitudinal pinking rollers '27 and roller assembly 30 by utilizing spring loaded pressure devices 28 shown in detail in Fig. 11. Devices 28 are novel in that the pressure imposed against the sheets and the opposite roller of each device is separately controlled. All of the devices 28 positioned in a transverse row in Fig. 1 are supported by a transverse bar 129 attached to the sides of the packaging machine. Slideably attached to this bar are blocks 121 which are frozen in place at a preselected position along the bar by using set screws 122. Rollers 123 are positioned to freely rotate about the axis of supporting pin 124. Pin 124 is supported by and moves with side bars 125 and 126. Side bars 125 and 126 are slideably supported in grooves in the side of block 121 and are connected together at one end by block 127. Block 127 has -a centrally disposed hole through which set screw 122 is allowed to freely pass. Positioned on set screw 122 is wing nut 128. Spring 129 bears against wing nut 128 and block 127. Spring 129 is normally under compression. Thus spring 129 tends to urge roller 123 forward with respect to support bar 120. It is to be noted that roller 123 normally is pressing against an opposite roller, such as rollers 10. By turning wing nut 128 in one direction or the other, the pressure of roller 123 against such opposite roller is increased or decreased. It is therefore much easier to keep the alignment of the rollers at the optimum pressure for eflicient operation of the sealing or cutting operations.

Although this invention has been described in detail, {it is to be clearly understood that the same is by way of illustration and example only and not by way of limitation, the scope of this invention being limited only by the claims.

I claim:

1. An improved packaging machine for producing individual packages of fluid fill material comprising means for continuously producing pockets of packaging material; means for filling said pockets of packaging material with a predetermined amount of fluid fill while said pockets are continuously moving at a predetermined substantially constant speed, said filling means including a metering device which allows a predetermined amount of fluid fill to flow at a predetermined pressure each time said metering device is actuated, pressure generating means connected to continuously supply to an output orifice said fluid fill at a substantially constant fluid pressure, and sealed fluid conveying means continuously filled with fluid fill connected to convey said fluid fiil from the output of said pressure generating means through said metering means to a point in said pocket and near the top thereof; and means for sealing the top of said pocket subsequent to the filling of said pocket with said fluid fill.

2. In a packaging machine means for filling pockets of packaging material with a predetermined amount of fluid fill while said pockets are continuously moving at a predetermined substantially constant speed comprising a source of fluid fill material, a metering device adapted to allow a predetermined amount of fluid fill material to flow at a predetermined pressure through said device each time said metering device is actuated, pressure generating means connected tocontinuously supply to an output orifice said fluid fill material from said-source-at a substantially constant fluid -pressure, .-and sealed fluid conveying means connected toco'nvey said fluid fill fromthe'output of said-pressure generating means through said metering means to a point adjacent to said pocket.

3. A packaging machine for producing individual sealed packages of predetermined amounts of fluid fill material comprising means for feeding two sheets of packaging material in substantial longitudinal alignment with each other at a substantially constant speed, said sheets of packaging material being of a thin, flexible material capable of being thermally sealed'to each other, .at 'least'one of said sheets having printed matter thereon opaque to light rays; means for continuously thermally sealing said sheets to each-other longitudinally at at least two narrow bands spaced a preselected distance transverse of each other in the direction of movement of said sheets; means for thermally sealing said sheets to each other in a transverse direction, said transverse sealing means including means for synchronizing said sealing with the longitudinal movement of said sheets; and means for metering predetermined amounts of fluid fill material between said sheets and each adjacent pair of said longitudinal sealing means but before said transverse seal, said metering means including a source of fill material, conduits for conveying said fill material from said source and having a discharge orifice between said sheets at points betweeneach adjacent pair of said longitudinal sealing means, means for continuously maintaining said conduits full of fill material, and means responsive to the longitudinal movement of said sheets for periodically causing a predetermined rate of flow of said fill material for preselected periods of time in said conduits.

4. A packaging machine as recited -in claim 3 and further comprising photoelectric detector means positioned to be responsive to the opaque printed matter on one of said sheets and in which said synchronizing means of said transverse sealing means and said periodic flow control means of said metering means are responsive to said photoelectric detector means.

5. A packaging machine for producing individual sealed packages of predetermined amounts of fluid fill material comprising means for feeding two sheets of thermoplastic packaging material at substantially a contant speed and substantially aligned longitudinally with each other; means for thermally sealing said two sheets of thermoplastic packaging material longitudinally at least along the edges thereof to form at least one tube of packaging material; means for thermally sealing said sheets of thermoplastic packaging material in a transverse direction at predetermined intervals, said transverse sealing means being displaced a predetermined distance in the direction of movement of said sheets of packaging material from said longitudinal sealing means to thereby form pockets of packaging material back along said sheets whenever said transverse sealing means seals said sheets together; means synchronized with said transverse sealing means for rapidly injecting a predetermined amount of fluid fill into said pocket immediately after said transverse sealing'means seals said sheets together, said fluid fill injecting means including a metering device which allows a predetermined amount of fluid fill to flow at a predetermined pressure through said device each time said metering device is actuated, pressure generating means con nected to continuously supply to an output orifice said fluid fill at a substantially constant fluid pressure, and continuously filled sealed fluid conveying means connected to convey said fluid fill from the output of said pressure generating means through said metering means to a point adjacent to said pocket; and means synchronized with said transverse sealing means for cutting transversely said sheets of packaging material substah tially in the center of said transverse seal while said sheets are continuously moving. I

6. A packaging machine for producing individual sealed packages of predetermined amounts of fluid fill material comprising means for feeding two sheets of packaging material in substantial longitudinal alignment with each other at a substantially constant speed, said sheets of packaging material being of a thin, flexible material capable of being thermally sealed to each other; means for continuously thermally sealing said sheets to each other longitudinally at at least two points spaced a preselected distance transverse of the movement of said sheets; means for thermally sealing said sheets to each other in a transverse direction at selected intervals along the direction of movement of said sheets; and means for metering predetermined amounts of fluid fill material between said sheets and each adjacent pair of said longitudinal seals but before said transverse seal, said metering means including a source of fluid fill material, a pump, means for intermittently actuating said pump in synchronism with said transverse sealing means, sealed conduit means continuously filled with fill material connecting said source to the inlet of said pump and the outlet of said pump to a position between said sheets of packaging material and near said longitudinal sealing means, and check valve means in said conduit means connected to the outlet of said pump and adapted to prevent the fluid fill in said conduit means from flowing whenever said pump is inoperative.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,200,971 Sonneborn et al May 14, 1940 2,387,747 Cowley Oct. 30, 1945 2,413,916 Hallead Ian. 7, 1947 2,420,983 Salfisberg May 20, 1947 2,616,232 Meyer Nov. 4, 1952 2,617,528 Moore Nov. 11, 1952 2,751,981 Hawkins June 26, 1956 

